The invention relates to a burner for partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon-containing fuel.
In particular, the invention relates to a burner for partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon-containing fuel wherein an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrocarbon-containing fuel are supplied to a gasification zone through an arrangement of passages or channels for fuel and oxygen-containing gas, and wherein autothermically a gaseous stream containing synthesis gas is produced under appropriate conditions.
The oxygen-containing gas is usually air or pure oxygen or a mixture thereof. In order to control the temperature in the gasification zone a moderator gas (for example, steam or carbon dioxide) can be supplied to said zone.
Further, the gasification process can be carried out at any suitable pressures, for example at 0.1-12 MPa.
In particular, the invention relates to a burner as described in the foregoing, wherein a liquid is suitable as a fuel.
For example, (heavy) residue feedstock is suitable to be used as a fuel. Further, methane can be used as a fuel.
It is already known to apply water-cooled burners in partial oxidation processes of hydrocarbon-containing fuel.
However, such water-cooled burners are limited in their scale-up potential. The capital expenditure and maintenance of a fail safe water-cooled system is significant and scale-up is important in order to reduce cost. Further, it has appeared that in large burners problems may arise with respect to withstanding the cooling water pressure when the reactor pressure is at ambient.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a non-water-cooled burner which has virtually no scale-up limitations, is relatively cheap and maintenance-free.
It is another object of the invention to provide a non-water-cooled burner which can operate at severe reactor conditions and limits the heat flux from the flame in front of the burner to the reactor dome.